HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) – HVAC shortages can make it hard for you to stay cool in the intense heat in Hampton Roads this summer.

Temperatures are expected to reach well into the 90s this week.

David Hutton, operations manager with Hutton Electric, Heating and Air said the problem started with the equipment suppliers.

He told 10 On Your Side, they were caught off guard.

According to him, many people stopped using HVAC companies, and replaced the needed air conditioning parts on their own, lulling equipment suppliers into a false sense of security.

That sense of security was shattered as the heat came along with high demand for HVAC services.

“We’re going to see a lot less air purifiers. Air purifiers are something that everybody is putting in…capacitors, things like that, compressors, certain motors. But again, when you have a heatwave like this, those are the things that typically go,” Hutton explained.

He said the cost of those parts are only a fraction of how much services are.

“Typically for a successful contractor, the parts are going to make up 15 to 20 percent of their sale price. “

But he said equipment isn’t the only thing standing between people and a comfortable time in the heat.

“The biggest problem I see is that there’s not enough people entering the industry.”

He said that worker shortage is because of how tradesmen are stereotyped.

“It’s sort of looked down on and a tradesman will tell you, tradesmen in general are sometimes treated like second class citizens…These people have every bit of 8,000 hours of training before they can actually be qualified.”

Adrienne Sullivan said she’s going on day 20 of not having air conditioning in her home, calling it unbearable.

“The warranty company and the HVAC company everybody’s like while the part has to be ordered, we’re short staffed. It’s been horrible,” she said.

Sullivan and her family are now forced to sleep on the first floor because of the heat.

“I brought my camping bag downstairs, my sleeping bag. My son brought his box spring and bed downstairs because you know heat rises. And it’s been crazy.”

She wanted to advise others to get an air conditioning checkup in the spring to avoid being in the same situation.

Hutton said in order to save money and keep cool, don’t touch the thermostat.

He said it’s actually more expensive to keep turning the air conditioning on and off rather than to let it run.